Cigarette with the amount of sidestream smoke reduced

ABSTRACT

A cigarette is provided with a tobacco section including a tobacco filler rod wrapped with an inner wrapper paper sheet containing less than 4% by weight of calcium carbonate and an outer wrapper paper containing calcium carbonate in an amount of 30 g/m 2  and a burn adjusting agent in an amount of 3% by weight or more.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a Continuation Application of PCT Application No.PCT/JP03/02430, filed Mar. 3, 2003, which was published under PCTArticle 21(2) in Japanese.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority fromprior Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-074943, filed Mar. 18, 2002,the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cigarette whose sidestream smokeamount reduced, and more specifically to a cigarette wrapped with aninner wrapper paper sheet and an outer wrapper paper sheet.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various techniques have been proposed in order to reduce the amount ofsidestream smoke of cigarettes. For example, Japanese Patent No. 2572488discloses a cigarette wrapped with an inner wrapper paper sheet havingan air permeability of 1 to 5 CORESTA units and containing 1 to 8% byweight of a loading material (for example, calcium carbonate) and anouter wrapper paper sheet having a basis weight of 35 to 65 g/m² andcontaining 18 to 40% by weight of a loading material (for example,calcium carbonate). Further, Jap. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No.6-7141 discloses a cigarette wrapped with an inner wrapper paper sheetcontaining a magnesium-containing loading material and an outer wrapperpaper sheet containing an additive package of alkali metal ions,alkaline-earth metal ions, inorganic anions and organic anions.

Each of the conventional cigarettes has a slow burn rate and therefore asmall amount of sidestream smoke per unit time. However it has beenfound that these cigarettes entail a problem of a large amount ofsidestream smoke per cigarette.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide acigarette which is small not only in an amount of sidestream smoke perunit time, but also in an amount of sidestream smoke per cigarette.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above-described object of the present invention has been achieved bystudying the wrapper paper itself that wraps cigarettes withoutproviding a filter or technically improving the tobacco filler material(for example, cut tobacco).

Thus, according to the present invention, there is provided a cigarettecharacterized by comprising a tobacco section including a tobacco fillerrod wrapped with an inner wrapper paper sheet containing less than 4% byweight of calcium carbonate and an outer wrapper paper containingcalcium carbonate in an amount of 30 g/m² and a burn adjusting agent inan amount of 3% by weight or more.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described in more detail.

The cigarette of the present invention comprises a tobacco sectionincluding a tobacco filler rod wrapped with a predetermined innerwrapper paper sheet and a predetermined outer wrapper paper sheet. Anordinary filter may be attached to one end of the tobacco section.

Of the wrapper paper sheets wrapping the tobacco filler rod of thepresent invention, the inner wrapper paper sheet has a calcium carbonatecontent of less than 4% by weight, and thus does not substantiallycontain calcium carbonate. When the inner wrapper paper contains calciumcarbonate in an amount of 4% by weight or more, the burn rate of theresultant cigarette becomes excessively high, and therefore the amountof the sidestream smoke per unit time cannot be significantly decreased.It is preferable that the inner wrapper paper does not contain calciumcarbonate.

The pulp that constitutes the inner wrapper paper sheet may be any typepulp as long as it is a pulp that is usually employed for a wrapperpaper sheet of a smoking article, such as flax pulp. It is preferablethat the amount of pulp is 10 to 18 g/m². When the amount of pulp isless than 10 g/m², there is a tendency that it becomes difficult tostably manufacture the wrapper paper. On the other hand, when the amountof pulp exceeds 18 g/m², there is a tendency that the flavor of thecigarette becomes unfavorable.

As the air permeability of the inner wrapper paper sheet becomes lower,the amount of sidestream smoke of the resultant cigarette per unit timeis further decreased. It is preferable that the air permeability of theinner wrapper paper sheet is 1 to 30 CORESTA units (CU), and morepreferably, 6 CU to 30 CU.

The inner wrapper paper sheet may contain a burn adjusting agent, butthe amount thereof is preferably up to 1% by weight (0 to 1% by weight).If the amount of the burn adjusting agent exceeds 1% by weight, there isa tendency that the resultant cigarette cannot maintain a preferableburn rate of 6 mm/minute or higher, which will be described later.

The burn adjusting agent added to the inner wrapper paper sheet can beselected from alkali metal salts of organic acids such as sodiumcitrate, potassium citrate, sodium acetate, potassium acetate, sodiumtartrate, potassium tartrate, sodium malate, potassium malate, sodiumsuccinate, potassium succinate and the like.

The outer wrapper paper sheet employed in the present invention containscalcium carbonate in an amount of 30 g/m² or more and a burn adjustingagent in an amount of 3% by weight or more. When the amount of calciumcarbonate is less than 30 g/m² and/or the amount of the burn adjustingagent is less than 3% by weight, the effect of reducing the amount ofthe sidestream smoke is not sufficiently exhibited. It is preferablethat calcium carbonate is contained in an amount of 30 g/m² or more and50 g/m² or less, and the burn adjusting agent is contained in thewrapper paper in an amount of 3 to 15% by weight.

As the burn adjusting agent used in the outer wrapper paper sheet,alkali metal salts of succinic acids are preferably used. Of these,potassium succinate and sodium succinate are particularly preferable.These materials can be used singly or in combination.

The pulp that constitutes the outer wrapper paper sheet may be of thesame type as that used for the inner wrapper paper sheet. It ispreferable that the amount of pulp is 20 to 50 g/m².

Further, it is preferable that the outer wrapper paper sheet has a basisweight of 50 g/m² to 100 g/m².

In the present invention, calcium carbonate is added in the form ofgrains. The grain diameter can be selected arbitrarily in considerationof cost and easiness of making paper, but it should preferably be 0.02μm to 10 μm.

The cigarette of the present invention, which has the tobacco sectiondoubly wrapped with the inner wrapper paper sheet and the outer wrapperpaper sheet, is small in the sidestream smoke amount per unit time, butalso in the sidestream smoke amount per cigarette. The outer wrapperpaper sheet, which contains a relatively large amount of calciumcarbonate, has a high combustibility. When it is combined with the innerwrapper paper sheet, which does not substantially contain calciumcarbonate, the burn rate becomes lower than the case where the outerwrapper paper sheet is employed solely, the amount of the sidestreamsmoke per unit time is decreased, and the amount of the sidestream smokeper cigarette is significantly decreased, too. It is preferable that theburn rate of the cigarette of the present invention is about 6 mm/minuteor higher, and more preferably, 7 mm/minute or higher. Such a burn ratecan be achieved by setting the content of the burn adjusting agent ofthe inner wrapper paper sheet to 0 to 1% by weight as described above.The burn rate of the cigarette of the present invention is usually nomore than about 12 mm/minute. It should be noted that the burn rate of acigarette can be measured by an ordinary fishtail method.

The present invention will now be described by way of Examples; howeverit is not limited to these Examples.

EXAMPLES 1-4 AND COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES 1-3

Cigarettes of the structure below were prepared.

Specification of Cigarettes

Size: FSK slim (circumference of 22.9 mm, length of the tobacco sectionof 68 mm, length of the filter of 30 mm and length of the tipping paperof 37 mm)

Cut tobacco: American blend, 0.565 g/cigarette

Specification of Outer Wrapper Paper

Amount of pulp: 30 g/m²

Amount of calcium carbonate: 30 g/m²

Amount of citrate: 4.5% by weight

Specification of Inner Wrapper Paper

As indicated in Table 1 below.

With regard to each of the cigarettes, the amount of the sidestreamsmoke (total particulate matter) was measured (for a burned length of 58mm) together with the burn rate by the fishtail method. Thus, the amountof the sidestream smoke per unit time (mg/min) and the amount of thesidestream smoke per cigarette (mg/cigarette) were calculated. Theresults are shown also in Table 1. TABLE 1 Specification of innerwrapper paper Cigarette Calcium Amount of Burn time carbonate Airsidestream Second Burn Pulp % by permeability Sodium citrate smoke (burnlength rate Example No. g/m² g/m² weight CU % by weight mg/cig mg/min of58 mm) mm/min Comp. Ex. 1 No inner wrapper paper (outer wrapper paperonly) 15.5 2.5 372 9.354 Comp. Ex. 2-1 15 5 25 33 0.0 14.7 2.4 371 9.380Comp. Ex. 2-2 3.9 14.1 2.3 377 9.230 Comp. Ex. 2-3 8.2 13.9 2.2 3898.946 Comp. Ex. 2-4 13.6 13.9 2.0 427 8.149 Comp. Ex. 3-1 15 0.6 4 340.0 14.0 2.0 429 8.111 Comp. Ex. 3-2 0.7 13.7 1.9 442 7.873 Comp. Ex.3-3 1.3 13.6 1.8 449 7.750 Comp. Ex. 3-4 2.4 13.6 1.8 464 7.500 Example1-1 15 0.3 2 30 0.0 13.6 1.7 470 7.404 1-2 0.8 13.3 1.6 497 7.002 1-31.8 13.2 1.5 519 6.705 1-4 2.5 13.2 1.4 548 6.350 Example 2-1 15 0 0 310.0 13.6 1.6 506 6.877 2-2 0.9 13.0 1.5 537 6.480 2-3 1.8 13.2 1.4 5566.258 2-4 2.6 13.0 1.3 587 5.928 Example 3-1 15 0 0 15 0.0 13.4 1.5 5246.641 3-2 0.7 13.0 1.4 543 6.408 3-3 1.8 12.9 1.4 571 6.094 3-4 2.6 12.91.3 593 5.868 Example 4-1 15 0 0 6 0.0 13.3 1.5 543 6.408 4-2 0.7 12.61.3 563 6.181 4-3 1.7 12.5 1.3 582 5.979 4-4 2.4 12.4 1.2 598 5.819

As can be seen from the results shown in Table 1, the cigarettes of thepresent invention each indicated a significant decrease in amounts ofsidestream smoke both per unit time and per cigarette. In particular, ascompared to the cigarette wrapped with the outer wrapper paper sheetonly (Comparative Example 1), the amount of the sidestream smoke perunit time and the amount of the sidestream smoke per cigarette of thecigarette of the present invention are remarkably reduced. Further, itis understood from the comparison between the cigarettes of the presentinvention and those of Comparative Examples 3-1 to 3-4 that the amountof the sidestream smoke per unit time and the amount of the sidestreamsmoke per cigarette of the cigarette of the present invention areremarkably reduced when the amount of calcium carbonate contained in theinner wrapper paper sheet is set to less than 4% by weight. Furthermore,each of the cigarettes of the present invention exhibited a burn rate ofabout 6 mm/min or more and showed a significant decrease in both of theamount of the sidestream smoke per unit time and the amount of thesidestream smoke per cigarette.

Various embodiments of the present invention have been described above;however the invention is not limited to these embodiments. Needless tomention, the above-described embodiments can be combined appropriately.

According to the present invention, there is provided a cigarette smallnot only in the amount of sidestream smoke per unit time but also in theamount of sidestream smoke per cigarette.

1. A regenerative energy and/or mass exchange assembly, comprising: a)an exchange media; b) a first chamber having a first fluid channeladjacent the exchange media to pass a first fluid stream through theexchange media; c) at least a second chamber having a second fluidchannel adjacent the exchange media to pass a second fluid streamthrough the exchange media, the first and at least second chambersseparated by a divider; and d) at least one fluid stream diverteradjacent the exchange media, the at least one diverter having anadjustable orientation relative to the chambers and providing separateflow communications to the chambers through the respective fluidchannels, the at least one fluid stream diverter having a radial extentthat is less than the functional radial extent of the exchange media,this functional radial extent of the exchange media being defined by thefluid conducting area of the exchange media adjacent the fluid channels;and wherein, at any given diverter orientation, the separate flowcommunications are not in fluid communication with the same chamber. 2.An exchange assembly according to claim 1 further comprising at leastone housing connected to one end of the exchange media and wherein thefluid channels are provided in the housing.
 3. An exchange assemblyaccording to claim 2 wherein the at least one housing has interior wallsdefining an inner enclosure, and the at least one fluid stream diverteris provided in the inner enclosure.
 4. (canceled)
 5. An exchangeassembly according to claim 3 wherein the fluid stream diverter isrotatably mounted within the inner enclosure to provide the diverterwith the adjustable orientation.
 6. (canceled)
 7. (canceled) 8.(canceled)
 9. An exchange assembly according to claim 5 furthercomprising a shaft that extends rotatably through the exchange media andthe at least one housing connected to one end of the exchange media, andwherein the fluid stream diverter is fixed to the shaft.
 10. (canceled)11. An exchange assembly according to claim 3 wherein the at least onehousing connected to one end of the exchange media comprises aconnection portion and a dispersion portion which are in fluidcommunication with each other.
 12. An exchange assembly according toclaim 11 wherein the connection portion has at least one port in flowcommunication with each respective fluid channel, each port adapted toconnect to external fluid stream sources.
 13. An exchange assemblyaccording to claim 11 wherein the dispersion portion has an open endthat is in fluid communication with the exchange media.
 14. An exchangeassembly according to claim 11 wherein the connection portion has aradial extent that is less than the radial extent of the dispersionportion.
 15. An exchange assembly according to claim 11 wherein theinner enclosure is substantially disposed within the connection portion.16. An exchange assembly according to claim 15 wherein the fluid streamdiverter has a radial extent that is substantially equal to the radialextent of the inner enclosure.
 17. An exchange assembly according toclaim 11 wherein the dispersion portion comprises the first and at leastsecond chambers.
 18. An exchange assembly according to claim 17 whereinthe exchange media is housed in a plurality of media cavities that areseparated from one another in cross section and extend in parallel alongthe exchange media, and wherein the plurality of cavities that house theexchange media are disposed within a central housing.
 19. An exchangeassembly according to claim 18 wherein each cavity is thermallyinsulated from adjacent cavities.
 20. An exchange assembly according toclaim 18 wherein the plurality of media cavities are positioned incorrespondence to the chambers of the dispersion portion.
 21. Aregenerative energy and/or mass exchange assembly, comprising: a) anexchange media; b) a first chamber having a first fluid channel adjacentthe exchange media to pass a first fluid stream through the exchangemedia; c) at least a second chamber having a second fluid channeladjacent the exchange media to pass a second fluid stream through theexchange media, the first and at least second chambers separated by adivider; d) at least one fluid stream diverter adjacent the exchangemedia, the at least one diverter having an adjustable orientation andproviding separate flow communications to the chambers through therespective fluid channels, the at least one fluid stream diverter havinga radial extent that is less than the functional radial extent of theexchange media, this functional radial extent of the exchange mediabeing defined by the fluid conducting area of the exchange mediaadjacent the fluid channels, and wherein, at any given diverterorientation, the separate flow communications are not in fluidcommunication with the same chamber, and e) at least one housingconnected to one end of the exchange media, the fluid channels beingprovided in the housing, the at least one housing having interior wallsdefining an inner enclosure, the at least one fluid stream diverterbeing provided in the inner enclosure, the at least one housing furtherincluding a connection portion and a dispersion portion which are influid communication with each other, the dispersion portion comprisingthe first and at least second chambers, and wherein f) the exchangemedia is housed in a plurality of media cavities that are separated fromone another in cross section and extend in parallel along the exchangemedia, the plurality of cavities that house the exchange media beingdisposed within a central housing, and the media cavities and thechambers being substantially equal in cross section and substantiallyevenly spaced about the axial direction.
 22. An exchange assemblyaccording to claim 21, wherein the number of chambers is three, and thenumber of media cavities is three.
 23. An exchange assembly asaccordingly to claim 21, wherein the number of chambers is five, and thenumber of media cavities is five.
 24. A regenerative energy and/or massexchange assembly, comprising: a) an exchange media; b) a first chamberhaving a first fluid channel adjacent the exchange media to pass a firstfluid stream through the exchange media; c) at least a second chamberhaving a second fluid channel adjacent the exchange media to pass asecond fluid stream through the exchange media, the first and at leastsecond chambers separated by a divider; d) at least one fluid streamdiverter adjacent the exchange media, the at least one diverter havingan adjustable orientation and providing separate flow communications tothe chambers through the respective fluid channels, the at least onefluid stream diverter having a radial extent that is less than thefunctional radial extent of the exchange media, this functional radialextent of the exchange media being defined by the fluid conducting areaof the exchange media adjacent the fluid channels, and wherein, at anygiven diverter orientation, the separate flow communications are not influid communication with the same chamber; and wherein, at any givendiverter orientation, the separate flow communications are not in fluidcommunication with the same chamber; and e) at least one housingconnected to one end of the exchange media, the fluid channels beingprovided in the housing, the at least one housing having at least oneinterior wall defining an inner enclosure, the at least one fluid streamdiverter being provided in the inner enclosure, the at least one housingfurther including a connection portion and a dispersion portion whichare in fluid communication with each other, the dispersion portioncomprising the first and at least second chambers, and wherein f) theexchange media is housed in a plurality of media cavities that areseparated from one another in cross section and extend in parallel alongthe exchange media, the plurality of cavities that house the exchangemedia being disposed within a central housing, and wherein g) the fluidstream diverter comprises in sequence along the axial direction a firstsegment, a first reduced diameter portion, a second segment, a secondreduced diameter portion, and a third segment; an inner bore defining aninner space within the fluid stream diverter; a first passage extendingfrom a first port in the outer wall of the second reduced diameterportion through the inner space and then to a second port on the outerwall of the first segment; a second passage extending from a third porton the end wall of the first segment adjacent to the first reduceddiameter portion to a fourth port on the outer wall of the firstsegment; and wherein the said first and second passages are isolatedfrom each other.
 25. An exchange assembly according to claim 24 whereinsealing means is provided between the fluid stream diverter and theconnection portion.
 26. An exchange assembly according to claim 24wherein sealing means is provided between each of the first, second, andthird segments the at least one interior wall defining the innerenclosure and each of the first, second, and third segments,respectively, of the fluid stream diverter.
 27. An exchange assemblyaccording to claim 18 wherein the connection portion has an open end anda closing means which closes the open end.
 28. An exchange assemblyaccording to claim 18 further comprising snap-connection means providedbetween the central housing and the housing connected to one end of theexchange media.
 29. An exchange assembly according to claim 18 whereinthe assembly has a first end housing and a second end housing disposedon either end of the exchange media.
 30. An exchange assembly accordingto claim 29 wherein a first fluid stream diverter is disposed in thefirst end housing and a second fluid stream diverter is disposed withinthe second end housing.
 31. An exchange assembly according to claim 30wherein the plurality of chambers of the dispersion portion of the firstend housing is in substantial axial alignment with the correspondingplurality of chambers of the dispersion portion of the second endhousing.
 32. An exchange assembly according to claim 31 wherein thefirst and second fluid stream diverters are disposed correspondingly inthe respective end housings and rotate in phase during operation.
 33. Amethod of exchanging energy and/or mass between at least two fluidstreams, the method comprising: (a) providing an exchange media; (b)passing a first fluid stream through a first flow path comprising afirst chamber having a first fluid channel, the first fluid channelbeing in fluid communication with a first region of the exchange media;(c) passing at least a second fluid stream through at least a secondflow path comprising at least a second chamber having a second fluidchannel, the at least second fluid channel being in fluid communicationwith a second region of the exchange media, and the first and at leastsecond chambers being separated by a divider; (d) providing at least onefluid stream diverter adjacent the exchange media, the fluid streamdiverter having a radial extent less than the functional radial extentof the exchange media, the functional radial extent of the exchangemedia being defined by the fluid conducting area of the exchange mediaadjacent the fluid channels, the fluid stream diverter having anadjustable orientation relative to the chambers and providing separateflow communications to the chambers through the respective fluidchannels; (e) changing the flow paths of the fluid streams to theexchange media by adjusting the orientation of the diverter so that atleast one of the fluid streams is passed through one of the exchangemedia regions through which a different fluid stream had passed prior tochanging the flow paths; and wherein at any one of before, after, andduring the changing of the flow paths, the separate fluid streams arenot in flow communication with the same chamber.
 34. (canceled)
 35. Amethod according to claim 33 wherein the fluid stream diverter isprovided in a housing connected to one end of the exchange media.
 36. Amethod according to claim 35 wherein the housing and the fluid streamdiverter cooperate to form the flow paths.
 37. A method according toclaim 36 wherein the fluid stream diverter is rotatably mounted withinthe housing.
 38. A method according to claim 37 wherein the exchangemedia is housed in a plurality of cavities that are separated from oneanother in cross section and extend in parallel along the direction offluid stream flow.
 39. A method according to claim 38 wherein the fluidstream diverter rotates to pass the different fluid streams through theexchange media.
 40. A method according to claim 38 wherein the fluidstream diverter rotates to pass the different fluid streams throughdifferent cavities of the exchange media.
 41. A method according toclaim 40 wherein in step (e), the at least one of the fluid streams thatis passed through an exchange media region through which a differentfluid stream had passed prior to changing the flow paths flows thoughthe region in the same direction as the prior different fluid stream.42. A method according to claim 38 wherein in step (e), the at least oneof the fluid streams that is passed through an exchange media regionthrough which a different fluid stream had passed prior to changing theflow paths flows through the region in the opposite direction as theprior different fluid stream.
 43. A regenerative energy and/or massexchange assembly, comprising: a) an exchange media housed in aplurality of cavities that are separated from one another in crosssection and extend in parallel along the direction of fluid stream flow,the plurality of cavities being disposed in a central housing and eachcavity being thermally insulated from adjacent cavities; b) a first flowpath to pass a fluid stream through the exchange media; c) at least asecond flow path to pass a further fluid stream through the exchangemedia; d) at least one housing connected to one end of the exchangemedia, the flow paths being provided in the housing; e) at least onefluid stream diverter that cooperates with the housing to form the flowpaths, the at lest one diverter having a radial extent that is generallyless than the radial extent of the exchange media and being rotatablymounted within the housing to divert the different flow paths to passthe respective fluid streams through different cavities of the exchangemedia; and f) a shaft that extends through the exchange media, the atleast one housing connected to one end of the exchange media, and thefluid stream diverter rotatably mounted within the housing; and whereinthe at least one housing connected to one end of the exchange mediacomprises a connection portion and a dispersion portion which are influid communication with each other; the connection portion has at leasttwo ports adapted to connect to external fluid stream sources and aradial extent that is generally less than the radial extent of thedispersion portion, the diverter being substantially disposed within theconnection portion and having a radial extent that is substantiallyequal to the radial extent of an inner wall of the connection portion;the dispersion portion has an open end that is in fluid communicationwith the exchange media, the dispersion portion comprising a pluralityof chambers that are separated from one another; and the plurality ofcavities that house the exchange media are disposed within a centralcasing, each cavity being thermally insulated from adjacent cavities andbeing positioned in correspondence to the chambers of the dispersionportion, the cavities and the chambers being substantially equal incross-section and substantially evenly spaced about the axial direction,the quantity of cavities and chambers be equal to each other and equalto a quantity of one of the group consisting of three and five; andwherein the fluid stream diverter comprises in sequence along the axialdirection a first segment, a first reduced diameter portion, a secondsegment, a second reduced diameter portion, and a third segment; aninner bore defining an inner space within the fluid stream diverter; afirst passage extending from a first port in the outer wall of thesecond reduced diameter portion through the inner space and then to asecond port on the outer wall of the first segment; a second passageextending from a third port on the end wall of the first segmentadjacent to the first reduced diameter portion to a fourth port on theouter wall of the first segment; and wherein the said first and secondpassages are isolated from each other.
 44. An exchange assemblyaccording to claim 43 wherein sealing means is provided between thefluid stream diverter and the connection portion.
 45. An exchangeassembly according to claim 44 wherein sealing means is provided betweeneach of the first, second, and third segment, of the fluid streamdiverter and the inner wall of the connection portion.
 46. An exchangeassembly according to claim 45 wherein the connection portion has anopen end and a closing means which closes the open end.
 47. Aregenerative energy and/or mass exchange assembly, comprising: a) anexchange media housed in a plurality of cavities that are separated fromone another in cross section and extend in parallel along the directionof fluid stream flow; b) a first flow path to pass a fluid streamthrough the exchange media; c) at least a second flow path to pass afurther fluid stream through the exchange media; (d) at least onehousing connected to one end of the exchange media, the flow paths beingprovided in the housing; (e) at least one fluid stream diverter thatcooperates with the housing to form the flow paths, the at lest onediverter having a radial extent that is generally less than the radialextent of the exchange media and being rotatably mounted within thehousing to divert the different flow paths to pass the respective fluidstreams through different cavities of the exchange media; and (f) ashaft that extends through the exchange media, the at least one housingconnected to one end of the exchange media, and the fluid streamdiverter rotatably mounted within the housing; and wherein the at leastone housing connected to one end of the exchange media comprises aconnection portion and a dispersion portion which are in fluidcommunication with each other; the connection portion has at least twoports adapted to connect to external fluid stream sources and a radialextent that is generally less than the radial extent of the dispersionportion, the diverter being substantially disposed within the connectionportion and having a radial extent that is substantially equal to theradial extent of an inner wall of the connection portion; the dispersionportion has an open end that is in fluid communication with the exchangemedia, the dispersion portion comprising a plurality of chambers thatare separated from one another; the plurality of cavities that house theexchange media are disposed within a central housing; and the assemblyfurther comprising snap-connection means provided between the centralhousing and the housing connected to one end of the exchange media. 48.A regenerative energy and/or mass exchange assembly, comprising: (a) anexchange media having a casing; (b) at least one housing attached to oneend of the casing, the housing having: i) a dispersion end with a firstand at least a second chamber adjacent the exchange media, the first andat least second chambers separated by a divider; ii) a connection endwith first and at least second ports for connection to external fluidflows; and iii) an inner enclosure providing fluid communication betweenthe chambers of the dispersion end and the ports of the connection end;(c) a fluid stream diverter substantially disposed in the innerenclosure of the housing, the fluid stream diverter having an adjustableorientation within the housing and cooperating with the housing to format least two separate movable fluid channels extending between the portsand the chambers; and (d) sealing means provided between the housing andthe fluid stream diverter for preventing fluid cross-flow between the atleast two movable fluid channels, the movable fluid channels providingseparate flow communications between the ports and the chambersindependent of the attachment of the housing to the casing, and wherein,at any given diverter orientation, the separate flow communications arenot in fluid communication with the same chamber.
 49. The exchangeassembly of claim 48 wherein the diverter is generally cylindrical inshape and wherein the at least two movable fluid channels compriserespective first and second annular grooves provided in the diverter andseparated by an annular wall.
 50. The exchange assembly of claim 49wherein the sealing means comprises an o-ring disposed between theannular wall and an inner surface of the housing.